7 Quotes about grief that might help someone experiencing loss
Losing a loved one is an immensely painful experience – one many of us have to endure. Despite almost everyone having experienced a loss, quite often, we don’t have the words to express how we are feeling to others. Sometimes, we can find comfort in the words of others, which is why we have collected together 7 of our favourite quotes about grief. We hope one of these quotes lead you to a calmer heart and mind.
Sometimes, accepting that someone has actually passed away can be really difficult – and, in a way, you will probably never come to terms with this fact fully. However, grief does change over time and the pain transforms. It might be hard to believe now, but grief won’t always consume you. One day, you’ll carry it with you as you continue your life.
Grief isn’t something you can ‘fix,’ and no one should ever tell you otherwise. When someone is grieving, this becomes part of who they are; part of their identity. Learning to embrace this new identity as part of you, and being able to carry it as such, is evidence of your strength, dedication and love for the person you have lost. Not every day will be easy, carrying things can get heavy, but you carry them nonetheless.
Experiencing grief first hand is heart breaking and can leave people feeling unable to continue. However, grief is evidence of love and we can use it to form lifelong bonds with people, while learning about ourselves along the way.
Especially early on in a grief journey, it can be really easy to forget that the reason you are grieving is because of love. If you hadn’t loved the person you have lost – you would not grieve. Learning that grief is just an extension of love can help you to heal.
Unfortunately, life and death come hand in hand – you can’t have one without the other. But, instead of this fact filling you with dread, it might be better to look at it from a different perspective. Things don’t last forever – which is why they are so valuable to us.
As we’ve said, grief isn’t easy. It will take a long time for you to accept someone is no longer around anymore. Sometimes, this can present itself in forgetting they have passed away; looking for them, texting them and calling them are very common things to accidentally do when someone passes away. The main thing to know is that this is completely normal and, to some extent, you will always hope to see their face in a crowd, despite knowing that is no longer possible.
Grief is a journey, one that never truly ends. We carry it with us as we continue to live our lives. Yes, the grief we experience will change over time, but it never leaves us.
Always make sure you seek professional help if you feel it necessary. You can find a list of your local mental health support services here.
By Rebecca Thomas